1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having an in-body paper discharge structure in which the external appearance of the apparatus main body is configured from an upper casing, a lower casing, and a link casing that links the upper casing and the lower casing, and, more specifically, relates to an image processing apparatus in which an operation panel portion is disposed in a vertically tiltable manner on a front face of the upper casing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various image processing apparatuses having an in-body paper discharge structure (so-called inner paper discharge structure) have been proposed in which an operation panel portion is disposed in a vertically tiltable manner on a front face of the upper casing (see JP 2007-334157A and JP 2009-139434A, for example).
JP 2007-334157A (hereinafter, referred to as PTL 1) discloses an image forming apparatus (image processing apparatus) in which an operation panel disposed on a front face of the apparatus main body is attached in a tiltable manner about a tilting axis that extends in the right-and-left horizontal direction, and the posture of the operation panel inclined about the tilting axis can be adjusted so as to be changed in a plurality of stages by a posture adjusting mechanism disposed between the apparatus main body and the operation panel.
Furthermore, JP 2009-139434A (hereinafter, referred to as PTL 2) discloses an image forming apparatus (image processing apparatus) in which installed is an operation portion angle adjusting device provided with an operation portion that is pivotally supported by the apparatus main body in a vertically tiltable manner and an adjustment mechanism that changes the vertical angle of the operation portion.
The image processing apparatuses stated in PTLS 1 and 2 above are of a tilt-type in which the operation panel or the operation portion (hereinafter, referred to as an “operation panel portion”) is vertically tiltable, and have a universal design in consideration of use by a wheelchair user. That is to say, in conventional examples where the operation panel portion is horizontally fixed, a wheelchair user finds it difficult to view the panel screen, and, thus, the above-described image processing apparatuses have adopted a configuration in which the operation panel portion can be tilted downward (e.g., caused to be inclined at an angle of 45 degrees), so that the user can perform various operations at a position substantially facing the operation panel portion.
Meanwhile, the number of functions of an image processing apparatus is recently increasing, and the number of keys also tends to be increasing in order to correspond to the respective functions. Thus, in order to improve the visibility and the operability, a recent operation panel portion has a large-screen touch panel-type liquid crystal display portion that is disposed at the center thereof, and analog keys (mechanical keys) such as a numeric keypad and an on/off key that are arranged next to the display portion, and the size of the operation panel portion tends to increase. Thus, the operation panel portion has a shape that is gradually projected frontward toward the operator.
Also in the image processing apparatuses stated in PTLS 1 and 2, an operation panel portion having a size that covers substantially the entire length of the front face of the apparatus main body is provided, and this large-size operation panel portion can be vertically tilted.
In image processing apparatuses having an inner paper discharge structure, a paper discharge portion is positioned between the upper casing and the lower casing, and, thus, when the user performs a copy operation of the like standing in front of the image processing apparatus, it is very difficult for the user to view paper discharged to the paper discharge portion. Thus, some apparatuses have schemes for making it easy to view the inside of the paper discharge portion by increasing the vertical distance in the space of this paper discharge portion or schemes for making it easy to view discharged white paper by setting the color of the inner wall of the paper discharge portion to colors such as black or blue. Such schemes are effective in the case where the space on the front side of the paper discharge portion (the front face side of the apparatus main body) is sufficiently open. However, in the case of image processing apparatuses provided with a tilt-type operation panel portion, if the operation panel portion is tilted downward, the operation panel portion blocks the open portion on the front side of the paper discharge portion, and, thus, it is not sufficiently easy to check or pick up discharged paper with the above-described schemes alone.